Peaceful Bravery
by Abby2014
Summary: What if Tris wasn't the savior of Chicago? What if the Erudite waited one more year? What if the fate of their home lay in the hands sixteen-year-old Naomi Snider and her trainers Four and Tris? Naomi Snider transferred from her childhood home, Amity, to Dauntless, an unheard of transfer, and it hasn't gone unnoticed. Jeanine wants Naomi, and the game has begun.
1. Chapter 1

**Sadly, I do not own Divergent. Not that I think she would sue a teenager over a fan fiction. Anyway, this is my first fan fiction. I've always thought they're kind of silly to write, but I I wrote this for myself a while ago and decided I should share it, because it seems really good to me. I hope you think so too.**

My blood drops silently into the coals. The sizzling sounds eerily loud in the silence. I grit my teeth and clench my fists closed as the reactions surface in the crowd. I love the sense of finality rushing through my veins right now.

Amity gape at me, taking me in, wondering what they did wrong to deserve this betrayal.

Candor are murmuring quietly, as if unburying the secret I kept deep inside me that caused me to make such a drastic change in factions.

Abnegation squirm a bit uncomfortably in their seats. A leader's child changing, even a faction's leader, isn't good for publicity.

Erudite smirk, as always trying to seem like they knew it all along. I couldn't choose them.

Dauntless are cheering, making a deafening ruckus in general.

My mother, a small being in a sea of red and yellow, is smiling slightly, as if my transfer is proof that I belong in Dauntless all on it's own.

I square my shoulders, take a deep breath, and start toward my new home. To my future. To where I truly belong.

A tall girl with at least eighteen piercings and purple hair grins as she reaches out, grips my arm, and absorbs me into the crowd. I feel as if I'm draped in shadows, normal finally, even though I know I stick out like a sparking flare in this shapeless pool of black.

I grin, still glad for the feeling of existence and acceptance that I never felt in Amity.

The rest of the two hours are boring, with few drastic changes. One boy changes from Candor to Amity, which is kind of surprising, Amity tend to be the opposite of Candor with their inward thoughts and zero offense policies. He'll have a hard time. One more girl, tall and slightly chubby, changes from Abnegation to Dauntless, which has happened before, except she looks like a baby mouse with her chubby cheeks and bright little blue eyes.

The Dauntless all chatter incessantly on the walk from the Hub to the train tracks. A red haired boy covered in freckles is in front, poised. I hear a train whistle and my body tenses.

_Calm down. This will work. You can do this._ My Amity affirmations kick in. _Take those suckers down. Give them a run for their money._ And there's the pushy Dauntless side of me kicking in.

"Okay! We have to move." Purple hair shouts over the wind. Her and red haired boy face the train tracks. Purple laughs at something Red says as the train comes into vision.

It's thirty yards away.

Twenty. One brave Dauntless born starts jogging quickly toward the train.

Ten. The members start leaping, flying into cars. Three transfers stand frozen, including me. My mind races.

This is just a game, and I've played games before. Initiation starts now, and it's a game. The rules? Keep up or get out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter. Sorry it took so long. I only have computer access at one house, then I couldn't find how to add a new chapter. Hope this works! Let me know whaat you think! **  
My legs pump, propelling after the train. The first cart I see is still open.

Okay. On three.

One.

Two.

"Three!" I shout the last number, throwing myself at the handle by the door. The wind whips my hair, my grin grows wider, and my fingers slip around the cold metal of the handle. My heart races for a few seconds, savoring the freedom and adrenaline pumping through me, then the terror grips my stomach like an iron vice.

I'm at least five feet from the ground, gripping onto a speeding train and flailing in the wind like the flag outside the school. I grip the metal tighter and bite down hard on my lip to hold in my scream.

This is just a game. Just a game.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrap around my waist and pull me toward the open door of the train. I don't release the handle still. "Let go!" Someone shouts over the screaming wind. My fingers are stiff from gripping too hard, so I squeeze my eyes shut tight, grit my teeth and let go. I trust my rescuer, and we both tumble backwards.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" I cry, jumping up and dusting away the invisible dust on my garish red pants.

"No biggie," they say. 'They' is a tall boy, much taller than me. Than again, pretty much everyone's taller than me. He has shaggy brown hair dyed blue at the tips. His eyes are a vivid silver and he looks way older than the girl. "You weigh like ninety pounds."

He's slightly terrifying. I should get used to it, considering the other person in the car is a girl with sharp blue eyes and a shaved head, who is currently glaring at me and is much more threatening than the boy. She's leaning against the now closed door.

"Isn't that a lot?" I ask, confused. I was considered terrifying in Amity, here in the small girl from Amity who's just ridiculous.

"Not in Dauntless, Amity Flower." The girl laughs.

"Lynn, stop." The boy gives the girl, Lynn, a sharp look before turning back to me. "My name's Luke." I nod.

"I don't know my name yet, really. My Amity name was quite lame, so I think I'll change it." I remember the Dauntless shake hands, so I stick out my hand. He shakes it effortlessly, like one with years of practice under their belt.

"Over there is my spiny friend, Lynn." He gestures to the girl. "She's actually my daughter's babysitter. She's seventeen." My eyes widen.

"Your daughter? You're only like, twenty!" I exclaim. Lynn opens her mouth, probably to call me another nickname. I also seem to get the vibe from Lynn that she's the kind of babysitter that would make the kid sit in the corner with nothing but a ball of string and a block of cheese.

"Parents are pretty young in Dauntless. My daughter's already two." Luke laughs.

"Oh." Meaning he got a girl pregnant at around eighteen or nineteen. I wonder how old the girl is.

"You're supposed to be with the other transfers, Amity." Lynn blurts.

"Lynn." Luke scolds.

"Sorry, Luke." Lynn spits without an ounce of sincerity. "You know I'm not a big fan of Amity."

"Well, she's not Amity anymore."

"She's not Dauntless either." Lynn says loudly.

"I'm right here!" I practically scream. They both turn in surprise that an Amity just yelled.

"The way I see it, Lynn, this certain Amity has probably had her fair share of peace serum over the years seeing as all in one day she hung from a train, yelled at a couple of fighting Dauntless and switched in the most drastic way anyone's seen in years." Luke chuckles. _No kidding_, I think, _remember that time you kicked Jeremy in the groin for kissing you and ended up loopy for days?_

"She's got some bravery. So what?"

"So she can fight her way through our fucked up faction." Luke defends.

"Or you could let the fragile Amity Flower tell you about the time she kneed a guy in the groin at the Amity compound you hate so much." I butt in. Lynn and Luke both gape at me.

"Please tell me that's true, because if so, we might actually become friends, Amity." Lynn laughs.

"It's true. A guy kissed me and I kneed him in the groin." I elaborate.

"All right, it's official, you're my favorite!" Lynn cries, high fiving me.

"What happened to friends?" I tease., fake pouting.

"Don't push it, Amity."

"Stop calling me Amity." I snap.

"As soon as you give me a name, Amity."

Well, I can't be Mimi anymore. Or Nammy. No. Those were Amity names. I need a Dauntless name. "Naomi." I say finally, pronouncing my full name for the first time in years. Yes. That sounds strong, firm.

"Naomi." Lynn clicks her tongue. "I like it. But isn't that kind of outdated?" She asks, glancing at me.

"My mom liked the name. We're keeping with our heritage."

"Oh right. Famous Amity leader, Tammy Snider." Luke scratches his chin while Lynn checks out the door.

"Luke, we have to jump." Lynn announces. Luke nods, stands up, and helps me up.

"Come on, Naomi. This part's gonna be fun to watch." Lynn beckons me to the door. Trees and building ruins zip by, all a blur of blues and greens and grays in my eyes.

"What do I do?" I shout.

"Just aim for the roof..." she waits a few seconds as if thinking. "or the bushes if you can't make the roof."

"What?!" I shriek. "You're insane!"

"Now!" Lynn leaps. I look down the side and see dark forms, maybe a few blue and and white ones flying through the air. This is just a game. A dangerous game where losing means a painful death.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you enjoyed that Lynn in the last chapter. I don't own Divergent, Veronica Roth does. So try I forgot to say it last chapter. Enjoy. A little long, but I hope the two chapters I put up tonight can tide over the few people reading my stories, because I have a ton of homework and won't be updating for at least two days. only fair I put up two, right? Thank you. By the way, whoever is following this story, thank you so much, and also, I just found someone in Iceland is reading this story and three people in China are, as well as 16 in the US. That's really cool guys, thank you. **  
With those happy thoughts, I back up a few steps for a running start and launch myself off the metal of car. My leather moccasins allow me to feel the sharp edge, and to my relief, the points of gravel beneath my feet as I land on the roof. I know I just reached the edge, so I lean in and roll forward, curled in the fetal position, like I just jumped from a tree, not a train.

When I stop, I'm about ten feet from the edge, one shoe gone and a few twisted locks of chestnut hair swinging in my vision that came loose from my ponytail.

I walk carefully to the edge and see my moccasin tumbling to the ground below. At the bottom, I also see a girl my age, wearing black and white. She's dark skinned, with scarlet locks thrown about from the fall. Her limbs are at awkward angles. A scream burns my throat as it settles in the back of it.

This girl didn't make it. Easy. Just like that. The game isn't easy. But it's a game, and I must keep going.  
I turn and walk quickly, half barefoot, back to the crowd of people. A man with grey hair in a buzz cut is speaking as I stand in the outliers on the right of the crowd.

Behind him is the edge of a building, jagged and concrete, with a hole dropping into blackness, probably ending deep below.

"As always, our new transfers will get the first chance to jump." The man's voice booms. He surveys the crowd. "Any volunteers?"  
I notice a short Erudite boy and a muscular Dauntless born watching me curiously. I already know why. I have more to prove than the rest of the group for one simple reason: I'm Amity. Without another thought, I puff out my chest, raise my hand, and step forward. The man grins widely when he sees me.

"Ah, and the weak lamb steps forward once again." The man laughs. I wonder briefly what he means by that while I walk briskly and purposefully to him. "Welcome to Dauntless." He shakes my hand and gestures to the edge.

My heart imitates a drum as I step onto the ledge. Below me, the concrete roof beneath me opens up into a cavernous hole, and beyond that is just black. Of course Dauntless would have the most terrifying entrance.

Deep breath, Naomi. One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths. Turn, glare at the Erudite boy and Dauntless born, then back, and fall forward.  
I tumble face forward, as if I'm just diving from the tree by the lake back at Amity, when I was the only kid brave enough to try. At least then I knew that I would eventually hit water. Here I have no idea what I'll hit. Stone? Water?

I fall in slow motion, downward, downward, downward. I reach up, yanking the hair tie off my pony tail. I immediately feel the wind blow my hair up. I am free. Free of hippie days of climbing trees. Free of trying to be nice. Free of Amity.

"Whoo!" I scream like I just won the lottery, throwing my hands out into the midair. I don't even care what happens after this anymore. Whatever happens, I'm free.

My fingers spread out wide as my body stops falling. I laugh as I bounce uncontrollably in a net. A net! String! To catch me. I laugh for my freedom, for my new home, for the thrilling new game I get to play, the Dauntless game.

Hands reach out, all fighting to grab mine. I grab the first one I touch, pale and small. Whoever it is pulls me off the net and into a cavern.  
It's a girl with light grey, watery eyes and hay colored hair. We're about the same height and shape. She smiles happily, genuinely happy to see me.

"What's your name?" She asks. Name. Name! I have one, I know it. The adrenaline of the jump still courses through my veins. "You only get to choose once." I already chose, I think.

"Naomi." I answer immediately.

"Make the announcement, Four." The girl yells. I look up to see a tall, skinny, muscular boy. He's tan, with light brown hair and dark blue eyes. He grins widely at the girl before turning to the huge crowd of Dauntless. I thought there was a lot at the Hub.

"First jumper-Naomi!" He shouts. The Dauntless whoop, shout, scream and pump their fists like I've only ever seen the Dauntless do. Like I will be able to do if I win the game.

Only ten tranfers, counting me. The sickening realization that we left the Hub with thirteen hits me. The red haired girl. And the two I left at the train tracks when I took off running. I could have helped them. I took mental note of all the transfers

Wayne-Erudite

Caroline-Erudite

Penelope-Erudite

George-Erudite

Frank-Erudite

James-Erudite

Taylor-Candor

Blair-Candor

Naomi-Amity

Hailey-Abnegation

The girl from the Hub with the chubby cheeks made it, and unfortunately, so did a boy I know from school, Taylor, a nasty boy who picks a fight with everyone.

"I'm Four," the tan, tall boy starts. "and this is Tris." They're holding hands, so I figure they're together. Tris smiles at Four brightly.

"Anyway," Tris laughs, saying the one word dramatically. "welcome to Dauntless!" The transfers, including me, all laugh nervously. "I'm not gonna lie, initiation's the hardest part, but you can do it. I did, and so did Four. There are three stages of training, the third being the final test. At the end you'll be given ranks depending on your performance." An Erudite raises a timid hand. Tris points to him.

"What rank did you two place?" He asks.

"We were both first in different years." Erudite nods. "Okay, let's start the tour." Tris says, jerking her head to indicate which way to go. We all follow her down the hall.

Four slows the pair down slightly and whispers something in Tris's ear. Her mouth curls up at each end. She whispers something back and he nods. She glances back at the group then turns back and pecks his cheek before speeding up again.

We arrive in a huge pit filled with tables, with tables of food lining the walls. "This is the Pit." Four informs us. Some Candor snickers. Four doesn't know who, so he sends a random death glare into the crowd. "You'll eat here, and meet here with friends." He turns and continues walking.

As we walk on, I hear the faint sound of running water. I realize my ears were correct when I hear the water getting louder. It's deafening by the time we reach the source. It reminds me of the train's wind. The source is a giant, misty waterfall spraying in our faces.

"The Chasm." Tris identifies the waterfall.

"One jump and you're dead." Tris looks down. "Someone always jumps, every year. And this year won't be an exception." Tris sighs so quietly, you wouldn't hear it if you weren't paying close attention. Four puts his arm around her, rubbing her arm gently. She gulps, standing up straight again.

"Come on, we'll show you the dorms." Tris says quickly, gripping Four's hand tightly and hurrying down the next hall. We all jog to keep up as we wind through the halls and caverns. "You all start with five hundred points to buy new clothes. I suggest you do it quickly." She adds on the last turn.  
When Tris finally stops, we almost smack into them. They push open a heavy wooden door and we all usher inside.

"Inside" isn't much. The walls are still stone, same with the floor. There are rows of bunk beds with the same black sheets and pillows.

"Have fun, assholes!" Four yells jokingly. Tris elbows him in the ribs and they run out, laughing.

I notice an Erudite watching me, James I think, from across the open space between rows of bunks. He turns immediately, climbing onto the top bunk off a bed. I also notice a two of the girls, Penelope and Blair, glaring at me. I recognize Blair by her twisted blonde bun and Penelope by her thick framed purple glasses.

"So, you're Naomi, right?" Someone says behind me. I shove my elbow into their stomach in instinct and whip around. It's Wayne, the Erudite transfer who jumped after me. He has shaggy blonde hair darker at the ends. He wears a pair of loose blue jeans and a blue starched button up. I wonder briefly if he chose it or if his parents forced him into it.

"Whoa." He groans.

"Sorry. Instinct." I apologize, sticking out my hand to help him up. He smiles small before taking my hand and pulling himself up.

"So, since when did the Amity have the instinct to fight?"

"Since the Amity gave birth to the one person who thinks they're overrated." I respond quickly. Then I think back to Chase, the Dauntless ambassador who would teach me moves when he came to visit. The only father I ever had was Chase.

"I see. Wayne." He sticks out his hand with a grin, obviously laughing at my retort.

"Naomi. Think you knew that though. Sorry again about the, you know."

"It's fine." He laughs, turning back to a bed and climbing to the top bunk. The boys have gravitated to the left, girls to the left.

I see Hailey sitting on the bottom bunk in the corner. Caroline is a lanky, African-American girl. Her long black hair is in a hundred tiny little plaits and her caramel eyes lock cheerily to mine. I smile, heading toward her bunk.  
It's next to the one Penelope and Blair are sharing. I smile at them, but they both just roll their eyes and walk off.

They split up, going to separate boy bunks. Blair approaches James, playing with a glossy black lock and widening her vibrant green eyes.

Meanwhile, Wayne is being targeted by Penelope, who's twirling a strawberry blonde wave and giving him a smile that deserves an award.  
Wayne and Taylor share a bunk, as do Frank and George. James is alone on the top bunk of the one to the right of Wayne and Taylor's.

Wayne and James are both staring distantly towards the girl's side. Taylor smirks, looking directly at me. He winks at Caroline, and I think I just tasted bile.

"Ick." I blurt out. Caroline laughs.

"Know him?" She asks.

"Who, Taylor? Yes, and I wish I didn't."

"Why?"

"He's just-ew. He's tormented me since third grade." I gag, thinking of the time he chased me through the playground, grabbing my pigtails.

"He probably has a crush on you." Caroline says, nodding very seriously while leaning down from the top bunk.

"Ew!" I almost scream in disgust. Taylor? Yuck. "Trust me, no one is ever going to crush on me."

"Well, why not?" She frowns.

"Look at me." I gesture up and down my body, from my mess of chestnut curls and my gently curving chest to my tiny feet, one bare still.

"For one, you're gorgeous." Caroline laughs. My jaw drops.

"No."

"Yes."

"Nope."

"Yup."

"Nope, nope, nopity, nope, nope!" I cry, jamming my fingers in my ears and shaking my head.

"Yup, yup, yupity, yup, yup!" She laughs. "I love your hair, always wanted curls, you have flawless skin, those big brown cow eyes, and your body isn't that bad either."

"I'm leaving." I say finally, turning.

"Beautiful."

"Shut up!" I stab a finger in the air for emphasis.

"Beautiful!" She shrieks. The sound echoes in the stone dorm and I know everyone stares at us. I run out of the dorm and back through the hallways.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry the last chapter was kind of boring, and that I sorta copied Peter. I tried to very lightly base Naomi on Tris and make the initiates as original as possible. I'll try super duper hard to make them original from now on.

The hallways are empty, and my every step makes me afraid I might disturb someone. It only takes two minutes to see Four and Tris talking in a hallway. Feeling like I'm intruding on a private moment, I exit the hall quickly, turning and running in the what I hope is the direction of the Pit.

Sure enough, I emerge into the bustling area. I spot a group of children rushing down the narrow paths. Despite knowing that they've done this millions of times, my breath hitches in my throat out of fear for them.

Instead of watching the children, I turn to the shops lining the walls around me. Clothing, tattoos, piercings. So many advertisements. I see Purple and Red emerge from the tattoo parlor laughing so hard they're crying a little, Purple with a bandage over her shoulder.

A boy with dark hair, dark skin and a jaunty grin is holding the hand of a girl. She's actually relatively normal looking. She has brunette waves, a little lighter in color than mine, and thinner. Her eyes are hazel and she's grinning at the boy like he just proposed. I hear Tris and Four behind me. They're laughing. Something about muffins. I glance around quickly before darting into the clothing store. The walls are still stone and the small store is filled with racks of black clothing. Four kind of scares me. And secretly, so does Tris.

I crouch behind a rack of black leather combat boots. While I'm here I might as well buy a new outfit. I grab the first pair of pants I see, a pair of black skinny jeans, and a loose black top with holes in the shoulders. They are both fifteen points.

I stalk into the dressing room and slide off my yellow shirt and red jeans. There's no variety in Amity. I throw my last moccasin into the corner. I wriggle into the jeans, which fit me well, hugging my legs like none of the Amity pants could. I never knew my hips curved like that. I pull the shirt over my red bra. It hangs off the gentle curve of my breasts and flows downward to my waist. The neckline is high, but loose and doesn't squeeze anywhere on my upper body. My shoulders look pointy, smaller than ever through the holes, a bone sticking out in the back. I take them both off and get redressed.

Outside I grab a pair of size six combat boots and a bare black tank top with a higher neckline for training. I bring the clothing to the counter, where a girl with a green Mohawk shoves them in a black plastic bag.

"That will be a total of thirty points deducted from your account. Do you agree to this, Amity?" She drawls, smirking at my outfit and my one moccasin in my hand.

"Yes." I snap, adding a pair of black socks to the bag. "And add those, Mohawk."

"Thirty five point deduction." "Great. Keep the change." I pick up the bag, slam my moccasin down on the counter, and walk out with a smirk like Mohawk's.

I would have been dizzy for days if this was Amity. My size always threw their calculations off.

I sneak a peek into the Pit, and see Four and Tris sitting with the dark skinned boy and the girl with the brown hair, as well as a boy like the dark skinned one, only older and taller. Lynn scowls at the older one and Tris throws a raspberry at him.

That could be me.


	5. Chapter 5

T**Next chapter. Also, I just realized both Tris and Naomi have best friends starting with C.** **Total coincidence-pinky swear**.

I could be the one throwing berries and joking around. I could be Caroline's best friend. I could be someone's girlfriend. I just have to win this damn game.

I turn and retrace my steps back to the dorm. Blair and Penelope are still targeting James and Wayne. Caroline still sits on her bunk. The only other initiate in the room is Hailey, who sits quietly in her lone bunk. I slide into the bunk below Caroline, unnoticed by Wayne, James, Penelope and Blair.

Wayne notices first. His face brightens immediately and he pushes past Penelope, speeding over to me. James sees the movement and notices me next, following suit. Penelope and Blair both give me a death glare. I instead focus on James and Wayne, who's radiant smiles make me feel important.

"Hey guys." I look up to the top bunk next to me at Caroline, who raises an eyebrow. I glare at her.

"Hey."

"Hi." The two boys drone at once, then glare at each other. Wayne turns back first.

"So, Naomi, where'd you go?" He asks.

"Uh, clothes." I nod toward the black bag in my hand.

"Cool, cool."

"Cool." James butts in.

"Uh...yeah. I'm gonna go get dressed now." I turn and hurry out the door to the dorm and right into the girl's bathroom. I lock the door of the stall behind me and dog around in the plastic bag. I strip off my yellow shirt yet again and pull the black tank top over my bra and the black shirt over that. My red pants land a crumpled heap on top off the yellow shirt and I slide on the jeans.

The black socks cover my ankle entirely, and then some, so I roll them back over and pull on the combat boots. They're surprisingly comfy. I lace them up and walk out of the stall, my old clothes in my fist. My eyes find the full length mirror in the corner.

I look changed. Not in a bad or major way. No, I'm changed in small, subtle, and yet noticeable ways. I have the same caramel skin, the same mess of chestnut curls, the same dark chocolate eyes and thick lashes. But I look more fierce in fitting clothes. I look stronger, and more confident. I fit in here. And I know it.

James sees me first. His jaw drops. "How do I look?" I jokingly pose.

"I-uh-awesome." James chokes out, scratching the back of his neck nervously. I laugh. Wayne turns and deadpans. It's as if all he's hearing is white noise.

"Uh...Earth to Wayne?" I step forward but Caroline holds up a hand for me to stop.

"I got it." She's down from her bunk now, and sitting on mine. She stands up, grabs a rock from the cavern ground, and throws it right at Wayne's head.

"Ow!" He squeals, clutching the already swelling knot on the back of his head.

"Don't be a baby!" Caroline laughs, sitting back down.

"So what are you going to do with those?" James asks, gesturing to my Amity clothes.

"Get rid of them." I answer immediately. "I want all evidence destroyed." Caroline laughs, as does Wayne.

"In that case, I have an idea." Wayne smiles cryptically. We follow him out of the dorm. He winds through the tunnels. I hear the static of the Chasm again. As we enter the cafeteria, I first notice that Tris and her friends are gone. Then I follow my new friends to the rail separating us from the Chasm. The water is white from foam and rushing past us. One wrong step and we're dead. It's terrifying, and I love it. The Dauntless flirt with Death, they taunt him solely for the purpose of entertainment. The Dauntless are brave, but also stupid. And they're my new home. I understand Wayne's idea immediately. I take the yellow shirt and hand it to Wayne. He grins. James grabs one end, and they begin fighting over it.

After about ten seconds of vicious tugging, I prepare to intervene. No need. The shirt rips down the center.

"Hey can you do the pants, too?" I hold up the red pants. James shrugs and grabs it from me. He holds one leg out for Wayne, who snorts and grabs it. The pants only take five seconds, but cause James to fall back and crack his head on the rocky floor.

"Careful, we haven't even started training yet!" I yell. James just shrugs and hands me a pant leg. I hand it to Caroline and take the next one. We all face the Chasm.

"On three?" Wayne asks. I nod and we all get ready.

"One." The water rushes. "Two." The water flows. "Three!" The gaudy colors flutter through the air and drift downward through the mist back down into the water. I watch them soak and drown. I watch until the red is no longer in the dark blue water, then I revel in the light feeling in my chest at that moment. It's not the last bit of Amity of me. The test proved that, but it's the beginning of the shackle holding me back in my new home. I'm fool if if I think it's the end.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hope you liked Naomi's little exploit last chapter. I wanted to give her a way to prove herself to her friends and show that she belongs as well as show herself that she didn't belong only in Amity. Yeah, I went deep! I went there! Don't judge me! Sorry this chapter is really short. **

**Don't own Divergent! Blah blah blah!**

I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Caroline, James, Wayne, and I go to the food line to get lunch after getting rid of my Amity. I notice everyone has a hunk of something thick and brown. It looks like Amity's brownies. We start along the line. I see burgers, turkey sandwiches, steaks, and other types of meat, all things I know from Amity. I never ate it though. My mother raised me as a vegetarian, and I never thought to defy her until I had to leave. I gape at the selection.

"Hey, you gonna pick?" I look up to see Caroline glaring at Taylor behind her. I just stick out my tongue and grab a burgers. The next section is a fruit and vegetable bar. Finally, something I'm used to. I grab apples, oranges, pears, star fruit, brussels sprouts, green beans and broccoli. A few people look at me like I'm insane. I just follow Caroline and Wayne to a table.

James sits beside me and I stab a thumb into one of my oranges. After I eat my orange, I gingerly pick up the burger, holding it in awkward, clumsy fingers.

"What's wrong?" Caroline frowns.

"Yeah, have you never seen a burger before?" Wayne examines me carefully.

"No, I have. I just...I'm a vegetarian. My mom never let me have meat."

"And you're going to try it?" James asks.

"Duh." I bring it to my mouth.

"Just be careful or-." Caroline's frown turns from confused to worried. I take a bite, chew, and swallow. Bile fills my mouth instantaneously. The burger tastes salty and gross. I blanch as I run to the nearest trash can. The bite burger is deposited into the trash can along with the orange I just had. I walk back to the table and silently sit. "or that will happen." Caroline finishes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why did that happen?"

]"Because your body isn't accustomed to the food you just digested, your body rejected it."

"Ah. Well, I knew that." I give Wayne my burger and stick to the fruit and vegetables on my plate.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry the last chapter is short and that it's been forever since I updated. My siblings and I went to my grandparents in a kind of secluded area and they said no electronics, so I couldn't update. I guess when you're a kid your parents are really the dictators of stuff like that. Not my fault! Anyway, I'm really, really, really, trying hard to update Thursday but if I can't get the chapter done by then, I'll have it by Friday when I get back to my Dad's. **

**I don't own Divergent.**

Training begins at eight. Literally. Tris and Four woke us up on the dot in various ways.

First, they yelled. Then, when some of us didn't get up, they kicked us in the ribs. Then, when Wayne still didn't get up, they punched him in the stomach. None of this applied to me. I've been up since six.

I spent two hours staring up, memorizing the mess of metal wiring and wooden boards on the bottom of Caroline's bunk. I jumped up at the first syllable of noise, glad for the distraction. We walked at a brisk pace, Wayne wincing behind me. He's pressing a hand to the large blossoming purple bruise on his ribs.

"Don't press it." I hiss.

"What?"

"Didn't you ever study medicine back at Erudite? Don't press it. It could cause a blood clot later."

"Oh. And no, I was more interested in our city's history." He removes his hand from his side.

"Ah. Is it interesting?"

"The city history?"

"Yeah."

"There is none." Tris pushes me through a door. I stumble a little, then gape at the table displayed in front of the door. I knew I would have to touch one in Dauntless eventually. I just didn't think it would be so soon. Four slaps the gun into my hand, and I walk toward the targets lining the wall nearby.

The gun totters uneasily on my open palm as I stand there staring at it with eyes as wide as saucers. Four stands in front of a target.

"Focus, breath, and aim. Some of you will succeed naturally. Others may need some...persuading." Four glances at my gun, tottering on my palm. Immediately people start to shoot. The second shot fired, by Caroline, skims the edge of the target.

"You okay, Amity? Do you want your tree back yet?" Taylor laughs, high giving two boys who must be Frank and George. I turn to the target. I focus on the red circle in the center. I tie my motions to my breaths.

Focus.

Breathe.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

Aim.

I squint down the gun, aiming perfectly at the center. And fire. My body flies backward at the backfire of the gun, but not before hearing the distant click of the trigger and the bang of a bullet leaving the gun. My head still pound from hitting the stone ground.

"You okay?" James frowns down at me worriedly.

"Nice." Wayne mutters, nodding as he smiles at my target. I jump up immediately, staring at my target. A bullet hole is marked just outside the red center. I grin at my success.

"Need your mommy back yet, Taylor?" I smirk back at Taylor, reveling in my victory. It would have sucked if I totally missed. Taylor just sticks out his tongue and continues trying to hit the target. I turn back to mine. The gun is still hard to hold. I still feel like I'm going to get that familiar stab in the arm at any second for "disorderly conduct". I do very well though. By the end of the day I hit very close to the center, but not quite a bulls eye. I notice Tris smiling at me.

"Nice work, Naomi." She slaps me on the back as I walk out to lunch. I wince since my head still hurts. Wayne, James, Caroline, and I head down to the Pit. I make myself a salad while the others all have chicken breasts. We sit at a table. My plate is definitely the most colorful of all of ours. I have a salad as well as a glass of orange juice, some mashed potatoes, and a bowl of blueberries.

"You're so weird." James shakes his head at my plate.

"Why?"

"You're eating broccoli out of you own volition."

"Do you have to use big words, Erudite?" I snap.

"No, but I want to."

"Besides, I like broccoli."

"I haven't eaten broccoli in years." Wayne laughs.

"Oh really?" I quirk an eyebrow.

"Nope. And proud of it." He grins cockily. I palm a chunk of broccoli without anyone seeing.

"Weirdo. I'm gonna go grab more berries." I stand up and circle our travel towards the food area. Instead, I lunge toward Wayne, pulling his mouth open and dropping the broccoli in. I push his mouth closed and scurry back to my seat.

"Asshole!" He cries through a mouth of broccoli.

"This tastes like butts!"

"How many butts have you tasted, Wayne?" Caroline laughs, holding her stomach.

"Forget that! Revenge!" He grabs his spoon, shovels some mashed potatoes off my plate and flings them into my face. I shriek, wiping the potatoes off with my hands.

"Jerk!" I cry, throwing a leaf of lettuce in his face.

"Ah! Healthy food! How will I live?" He mockingly whines.

"Shut up both of you!" James snaps, pushing Wayne of the bench to the stone floor. He stands up, punches James in the arm, and goes to clear his tray. The afternoon training continues with guns. I continue hitting the red, but it still takes near four hours of shooting to hit a bulls eye. I whoop when I see that I hit it. Wayne, James, and Caroline whoop with me.

Tris seems impressed. I know that we don't get off until six, so I keep shooting for two more hours. Everytime I hit the center, an electrical zip rips through me. I've learned to lean forward the slightest bit so the lash back doesn't throw me back. I've learned to hold it and how to tie my actions to my breaths.

By the end of the day, one person still haven't hit the red at the all: Haley, the outcast of our group of ten. Caroline, Wayne, Blair, and, unfortunately, Taylor have also hit bulls eyes. James is about a fraction of an inch off, George is about three inches off, and Frank can just barely hit the edge. Penelope shot herself in the foot after hitting about five inches off the center and had to go to the hospital wing.

After Four dismisses us, the four of us: Caroline, Wayne, James and I, race back to the dorm. Wayne, who is the tallest of all of us, comes in first with his long legs. I come in second because I'm faster than Caroline, who runs like a baby deer, all clunky and awkward. James comes in last, laughing his head off. "You're fast, Amity." He gasps.

"Don't call me that, Erudite." I snap.

"She's right, James. We just threw her Amity clothes into the chasm." Caroline laughs. Wayne just laughs. So we all collapse onto my bed, laughing and talking and joking around until dinner.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry this is short but i have a computer this weekend, so...**

"This is the rankings board. Four and I evaluated your skills last night and ranked you after your first day of training. You are ranked only in this group for now, but if by the end of stage one you aren't one of the people in slots 1-8, you will be cut." Tris explains. I feel bile raise in my throat as the board is hung on its single nail.

My eyes widen at the chalk names written on the board. My name-Naomi-is written in neat lettering at the very top, next a crisp number one. Under me comes Caroline at two, Wayne at three, Blair at four, and Taylor at five. My heart races when I see James is at six. Frank is at seven and George is at eight. I smile. Maybe they'll lose. My Amity brain automatically scolds me for taking pride in someone else's failure.

Wails are heard from Haley, who's in nine. Penelope's name sits at ten, but she isn't here wailing with Haley.

"Where's Penelope?" I whisper to Caroline. She looks around and shrugs.

"Hospital wing, maybe? Who cares?"

"Well, is she still in training?" I ask. Another shrug.

"Tris?" Tris looks up at my voice and raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"Is Penelope coming back?"

"Eric was not happy. There's a possibility that she will be cut. In that case, the cuts will change to whoever is in slots 8 and 9. Four and I are trying our best to get him to let her recover." Tris replies.

"Who's Eric?" Wayne asks, a sort of Erudite curiosity threading through his voice.

"A leader." Four speaks up, then turns his head back to the rankings board.

"Yeah, a corrupt one." Tris mumbles.

"Tris." Four raises his eyes but not his head, his tone like he's warning a small child. Tris just sighs and takes his hand.

"Sorry. You'll meet him eventually. One more day to prove yourself at guns. Go." She gestures to the gun table. We all scramble to grab one. It only takes James and Frank five tries to hit the bulls eye. They were already close.

I cheer with the rest of my friends when James hits it. Frank looks extremely happy, but nobody cheers for him.

"Good job, Frank!" I call out. Caroline gapes at me.

"What are you doing?" She hisses.

"Killing my enemies with kindness." I say. I remember mom telling me to do that with the bullies at school. I turn back to the target, aim and hit the red dead center. I've got this. George hits it on his seventh try. Taylor just glances away, as if embarrassed by him.

"Nice hit, George." I cry. His face doesn't change, but he looks back to the target quickly.

"You are too Amity." Wayne teases, poking me in the side. I jump away with a little squeal.

"See?"

"Oh really? Too Amity?" I turn to the target and shoot automatically. I focus to see a new bullet hole straying a fraction off the very center. Pretty good for no aim.

We race again, this time to the Pit. I win this time because Wayne had to run back to the dorm. I stop and attempt to slow my breathing, my hands on my knees. I don't know why I ran so fast; Caroline and James are far behind me. Someone slaps my back. Hard. I struggle and cough for air.

"Look at you, Amity. You're all fitness." I look up into Lynn's face.

"One," I straighten up and take a deep breath. Breath, I tell myself. "my name is Naomi. Second, I'm not all fitness, I'm in a race." Right at the moment, James crashes into me, knocking me to the ground. Caroline and Lynn are standing above us, gaping. I look up to see James' face five inches away and red as an overripe tomato. I roll him off me and stand up, wiping off the invisible dirt on my black jeans. James jumps up.

"I'm so sorry, Naomi. I-I just didn't see you there, and I-"

"It's fine, James. It was an accident." I hold up a hand. "Anyway," I turn back to Lynn. "hi Lynn. James, Caroline, this is Lynn, Lynn, this is James and Caroline." After they all give each other little waves, Lynn speaks up.

"Yeah, whatever. So, I have some friends who want to meet you."

"Who?"

"Shut up and you'll find out. Come on, you can sit with us."

"What about my friends?"

"They can come too then."

"I have one more too."

"Alright! We'll save them a seat too! Come on!" Lynn hauls me behind her to a table almost full. One bench is left. Once we approach, I look around the table. The only faces I recognize immediately are Tris and Four's. Tris smiles at me and bites into her burger. I continue looking around the table.

Another table has been put against another for more space. I recognize the brown haired girl and the dark skinned boy from a few days ago. I also see a girl with dark hair and a pierced eyebrow and lip. There's another dark skinned boy like the other one sitting next to a girl with light brown hair and a pierced ear.

"This is Naomi." Lynn barks, flopping back into her seat. I sit down and smile a little. I look at Caroline and James. They hesitate a little but sit down.


	9. Chapter 9

**This chapter is really short. Sorry it took so long to get it here. I haven't had time to write AT ALL. So, to make up for it, I slipped in my favorite Divergent characters. You'll have to wait for Will and Cristina though. I'm too excited to write about Cristina because she's hilarious.**

"So this is the new one?" The old looking dark skinned boy leans over the table to grab my chin. He puts his mouth to my ear and whispers so only I can hear. "Wanna go to my room?"

"Zeke! Don't freak the poor girl out!" The pierced ear girl sitting next to him slaps his arm. I stare shocked at him as he kisses the girl's cheek. "As you figured out, this blockhead is my boyfriend, Zeke, and I apologize for his thick skull. My name is Shauna. Nice to meet you." The pierced ear girl, Shauna, sticks out her hand. I shake it and the younger dark skinned boy smiles.

"Uriah." He introduces himself with a wide and taunting smile. I smile at him.

"I'm Marlene." The brown haired girl next to him announces. "Now shut that smile down, young lady."

"Sorry." I mumble.

"Don't mind her. She's just overprotective." The girl with the pierced eyebrow and lip smirks. "Lauren. The pleasure is all yours." She sticks out a hand. I shake it quickly.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Naomi." I give a small wave and glance at Caroline and James, who don't look like they're going to talk. "And these are my big babies of friends, Caroline and James."

"Great." Zeke blinks. "Which one is a boy?"

"Hey! That's an insult to me!" Caroline blurts out.

"Whatever. Hey Tris, where's Cristina?" Zeke turns to Tris.

"Iunno. Maybe she's with Will. I heard something about going to the fence with him for some security breach with injuries."

"How do you know that? Don't they usually keep that kinda stuff secret?" Marlene frowns.

"They offered the job to Cristina and Four first but Four said to send Will."

"That was sweet Four. I'm kinda offended they didn't send me though. That hurts." Marlene holds a hand to her chest in mock pain. "I'm obviously the best nurse."

"And so modest too." I laugh. Marlene sticks out her tongue.


	10. Author's Note

Sorry. I forgot to put this in the last chapter, but I want you to know that I hit 1,000 views a while ago. Also, I hope you guys will review more. I love to know what you think of the chapters and I want to hear your advice and criticism.


	11. Chapter 10

**Next chapter. I''m excited about this one because it features our favorite character! The one...the only...DAUNTLESS CAKE! I've been really excited to introduce the glue that holds Dauntless together and makes grown men cry like toddlers, so enjoy. Sorry it's short, I haven't had much time to write because I have a huge social studies test coming! Also, I'm sorry if it's not exactly top notch. I leave my dad's in like two minutes and I don't have internet at my mom's so I'm typing like a madman on a loud computer man trying to edit this before my mom gets here. Whatever, my dad already thinks I'm insane anyway. Peace out, suckas!**

"Shut up." Marlene snaps. At that moment, Wayne's blonde head is spotted by James as it bobs above the other heads in the Pit. It takes him a full two minutes for him to find us, and by then we're all laughing.

Wayne walks up, glaring at me. "Why didn't you wave at me? I thought you're supposed to be nice."

"Not anymore." I grin, turning back around and stabbing my finger into the orange in the middle of the table.

"You suck." He slides into the seat next to Caroline and looks around the table.

"Hey." Zeke just gives Wayne a little gesture, clicking his tongue.

"Uh...hi."

"I'm Zeke by the way."

"Marlene."

"Shauna."

"Uriah."

"Lauren." We all look over at Lynn.

"Huh?" Lynn looks up from picking at her salad. "Oh! Lynn."

"Cool." Wayne just nods at Tris and Four and stabs his fork into a meatloaf lump the size of a baby's head. Immediately I associate this with symptoms that I'm a psychopath.

"Hey...where's your cake?" Uriah leans forward to examine Wayne's plate.

"What cake?" The entire table of Dauntless members deadpans.

"YOU HAVEN'T HAD DAUNTLESS CAKE?!" The entire table screams. I'm pretty sure the entire cafeteria turns toward us. Uriah bolts from the table like we're spreading a disease.

He runs back balancing four plates of the dark brown brownie-like things I saw the other day.

"Eat them!" He drops the plates onto the table, quite obviously lacking grace. I laugh and pick up my fork. It breaks off easily and I bring it up to my mouth. Then I remember the cheeseburger.

"Is it vegetarian?" I ask. Marlene give me a 'duh' look. I sigh, shoving the bite into my mouth.

The cake melts easily in my mouth, and my tongue tastes of the chocolate and sugar dancing across it. A grin breaks out on my face, causing a chain reaction on first Caroline's, then Wayne's, then James's. The entire table bursts into laughter as our faces are filled with surprise.

I never knew something could be so good. I begin ravenously shoving the cake into my mouth. "This is so good!" I yell through the chewed up cake, sending a little bit flying onto Uriah's plate.

"Ew!" He cries, shying away from the gooey brown blob. I swallow before laughing.

"Sorry." I reach forward, scraping the goo off the plastic plate with my finger then sucking it off my finger. "Don't know what got into me. I'm usually a very neat eater."

"Must be the fumes." Shauna laughs.

"What fumes?" James asks, eyes widening in either fear or curiosity.

"Cake fumes, duh!" She rolls her eyes.

"Yes, of course. What was I thinking?" James rolls his eyes back.

I really have to win this game.


End file.
